Service 03 of 08
VAT Registration (and EORI Number)
An EU VAT number lets you trade across the single market. An EORI number is what lets your goods clear customs at all. Most of our clients need both, and we register both in the same engagement.
- 10 working days to a VAT number, once documents are complete
- EORI included registered alongside your VAT number, not sold separately
- OSS and IOSS covered for e-commerce and distance selling
- No annual VAT fee registration is a one-time cost, filing is billed separately
What's included
What a VAT and EORI registration actually gets you
A Bulgarian VAT number is your entry ticket to intra-community trade: it lets you invoice EU customers correctly, reclaim VAT on business costs, and register for the schemes that simplify cross-border selling. An EORI number is a separate identifier, issued alongside it, that customs authorities use to track goods entering or leaving the EU. You are very likely to need one even if you never expected to.
The two are often confused because they are usually needed together. A company that manufactures in China and sells into the EU, for instance, needs the VAT number to invoice correctly and the EORI number to get containers through customs at all. We register both once, rather than asking you to work out which office to approach for which document.
You will not need to explain your business twice
We collect your trade details once and use them for both registrations. Most clients who come to us thinking they need "a VAT number" leave with the EORI number they did not know they were missing.
Deliverables
5 items- Bulgarian VAT number Full EU VAT registration, valid for intra-community invoicing
- EORI number Registered in parallel, required for any customs declaration
- OSS or IOSS enrolment Whichever scheme fits your selling model, set up where applicable
- Reverse charge guidance A plain explanation of when it applies to your invoices and when it does not
- First-quarter filing walkthrough So your first VAT return is not a surprise
How it works
From application to a working VAT number
Four steps, two of which are entirely ours.
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1
Trade profile call Day 0 · you
We ask what you sell, to whom, and how goods move. This single conversation decides which registrations you need and rules out the ones you do not.
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2
Documents and forms Day 1–3 · you
Company documents, a short questionnaire, and a power of attorney if you would rather not sign every form yourself.
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3
Submission to the Bulgarian tax authority Day 3–5 · us
We file the VAT and EORI applications together, cross-referenced so there is no delay between the two.
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4
Number issued and confirmed Day 10 · us
We confirm both numbers are active and usable, and walk you through your first invoice so the format is correct from the outset.
Who this is for
Who this service is built for
Chinese manufacturers avoiding EU tariffs
If your goods are shipped into the EU under your own name rather than a marketplace's, you need the EORI number before the first container arrives, not after it is held at the border.
See the China page →E-commerce sellers needing an EU entity
OSS and IOSS exist to stop you from registering for VAT in every country you sell into. We set up whichever one matches how you actually sell.
See e-commerce sellers →Turkish manufacturers expanding into the single market
Customs union membership covers Turkish goods for tariffs, but it does not give you an EORI number. That is a separate, EU-specific registration you still need.
See the Türkiye page →Get in touch
Not sure which registrations you need?
VAT, EORI, OSS, IOSS — the alphabet soup can be confusing. Get in touch and we will tell you exactly which numbers your business actually requires, based on what you sell and where.
Related services
Services that usually go with this one
Company formation
Most clients register VAT and EORI as part of setting up the company itself, not as an afterthought.
Read more → Service 04Accounting & tax
Getting the VAT number is the easy part. Filing correctly every quarter is where clients most often need ongoing help.
Read more → Service 08Ongoing compliance
VAT rules and reporting thresholds change. We flag what affects you before it becomes a problem.
Read more →Questions
Questions, answered
If your question is not here, ask it on the discovery call — there is no charge for it.
What is an EORI number, in plain terms?
It is the number customs authorities use to identify who is moving goods across an EU border. Without one, a shipment can be held at customs even if every other document is correct.
I already have a VAT number in another country. Do I still need a Bulgarian EORI number?
Usually yes, if this is the entity that will be named on the customs declaration. An EORI number is tied to the legal entity making the declaration, not to a VAT registration elsewhere.
What is the difference between OSS and IOSS, and which one applies to me?
OSS covers VAT on goods already inside the EU when they are sold to a consumer in another member state. IOSS covers goods imported from outside the EU, valued at up to €150, sold directly to a consumer. Most manufacturers need OSS; most direct-to-consumer importers need IOSS. We confirm which applies once we know how your goods move.
How long does the whole process take?
Ten working days is typical from complete documentation to both numbers active. Delays almost always come from missing or unclear paperwork on the applicant's side, not from the tax authority.
At what point does VAT registration become compulsory rather than optional?
Once your annual taxable turnover in Bulgaria passes €51,130, registration is no longer a choice. You have seven days from the date you cross that threshold to file. We would rather register you before that date than after it — the seven-day clock is not a grace period worth testing.
Does reverse charge mean I do not have to think about VAT at all?
No. Reverse charge shifts who accounts for the VAT on an invoice, but it does not remove the need to register, invoice correctly, or file returns. We explain exactly where it applies to your specific trade flow rather than leaving you to assume it covers everything.
Ready to register your VAT and EORI numbers?
A short call is usually enough to tell you which of the two you actually need, and whether OSS or IOSS applies to how you sell.